Reversing the Rejects
by PieceOfShit96
Summary: Adi finds Otis, Baby and Cutter after the shootout and saves them. Family madness ensues as the three recover.
1. chapter 1

Otis stirred, groaning. Opening his eyes, he looked around the room.

He was in a strange house with a large living room. Baby and Cutter laid beside him in the same makeshift hospital bed that he was in.

He remembered being shot at. He remembered being hit. After that, the rest was a blur.

He tried to sit up, but could only groan in pain at the awfuk jolt in his side.

"No, baby, you just rest." Her voice startled him.

"Adi?" He mumbled.

"Of course you silly man. Who else would it be?"

"Where are we?"

"I bought a house for us a few months ago. I was getting it ready, but my plans got changed a bit."

He raised an eyebrow. "You bought a fucking _house?_ "

"Yeah...We...We can talk about that later."

He sighed, swallowing heavily. "How bad is it?"

"You're lucky to be alive, but you'll be okay."

He nodded. "You have some stories to tell, woman."

"In due time. But for now, you need to just go back to sleep." She kissed him lightly, sweetly.

"Mmmm...I love you."

"I love you too."

Otis drifted back to sleep, but not for long.

"Adoria! Hey! Adoria!"

Otis cracles an eye, peering over at Cutter. No one yelled for her like that.

"Don't you fuckin talk to me like that." She swatted the back of Cutter's head. "I saved your sorry stupid ass, you'd better be nice."

Cutter smiled back dangerously. "Would you be a dear and give me some pain meds? I can't fuckin stand it."

"I can do that for you, honey bunch." She winked at him and walked away.

Otis raised his head, questioningly. Was she flirting with him? Or just playing along?

She came back with a bag of medication and hung it on Cutter's IV.

"Thank you, darlin." He wrapped one large hand around her side. "Hey, what're you doin', anyway? A beautiful girl like you with a guy like him? It's a waste."

She drew a gun and pressed it against the side of his head. Cutter didn't even flinch. "A guy like him?"

"Y...y'know..."

"No I don't. But I do know if you touch me like thay again, I'll bloe your fucking head off."

Cutter whistled. "Mm. You're even sexier when you're mad."

She grimaced and walked back toward Otis's bed, taking his hand in hers.

"Ooh...Baby...Your hands..." She kissed around the wounds the nails had made. "What did he _do_ to my baby?"

Otis smirked. "You're makin a fuss outta nothin."

She rested his hand on her cheek, smiling at him. God, he could get lost in that smile. The way she scrunched her nose. The way her blue eyes twinkled. Those dimples. The way her ears raised slightly-

"Daddy?...Otis?" Baby called.

"Hey, Vera. Dont worry. You're safe." Adi turned to tend to her.

"You...You took care of us?"

"Yep. Of course I did. You're my family."

Vera smiled, but it faded quickly. "Is...is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, everyone is fine."

"...Am I okay?"

Adi smiled. "Yes. You're going to be fine. You all just need rest."

Baby nodded. "okay, doc." she smirked.

"Please let me know if you need anything. Don't be shy."

"Okay...How's your honey pot?"

"He's okay. About in the same state as you guys."

"I...I can't believe we made it."

"You were all very lucky. Extremely lucky." She ventured back to Otis, sitting beside him on the bed and stroking his hair. "Did you bring that cadillac back for me, sweetheart?"

He smirked. "Know you love 'em."

"I do." She kissed him. "But you know what I would have liked more?"

"What?"

"You back in one piece, moron." She deadpanned.

"Nothin's missing."

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, don't pretend you don't."

He sighed. "Yeah..."

She ran a hand over his beard, smoothing it.

"Adi? Can I have some water?" Cutter asked.

She rose, sighing, and retrieved a glass od water for all of them.

"Adi? Can you fix my pillows?" Cutter pleaded.

She begrudgingly fluffed them.

"Adi?" Cutter began. She turned over her shoulder and glared. "Thank you."

She sighed, her anger leaving her. "You're welcome..." She sat back down next to Otis. She was exhausted. Working on three gunshot victims with multiple injuries was no easy task for any physician, let alone worrying about them like she had been.

"You lool beat, mama."

"I am..." She muttered, stroking his face.

"Why don't you have a rest? We'll be fine for a while."

She nodded, trudging to the couch and lying down. She was out cold in minutes, snoring.

Her patients rested, and so did she.


	2. Chapter 2

Adi slept beside her patients on the couch, but her patience was wearing thin with one of them.

"Adi? Can you get me some coffee?"

"Daddy she's a doctor, not your maid." Baby protested.

"Well she's doin a fine job of both." He smirked.

Otis glared at him from his bed. "Stop treating her like your slave."

"Why? You do."

Otis turned to Adi, a worried look on his features. "Do I?

She smiled, stroking his beard and kissing his head. "No sweetie." She felt Otis wrap his arms around her, pulling her against him. "Aww. My big grumpy bear ain't nothin but a teddy bear."

"No, he's just a grouch ass." Baby smirked. "He almost didn't stop for ice cream for us!"

Otis pushed Adi to the side, glaring at Baby. " _Maybe_ if i _hadn't_ stopped for your fuckin ice cream, we wouldn't have gotten shot up! Ever think of that?!"

"Otis, be nice to your sister."

"Hah! He's adopted. Ain't his real sister. They've porked enough to know that." Cutter spat.

"What? I'm adopted? Why didn't you tell me?" Otis looked up at Adi with those beautiful blue eyes, lip jutting out in a pout. She knew he was kidding, but god those eyes.

She kissed him, entangling one hand in his hair while the other rested on his beard.

Cutter cleared his throat. "I'm all for live action porn, but not with his scrawny ass. How about you and me, little mama?" He smirked.

Adi grimaced. "Not in this lifetime." She felt Otis's hand snake around her waist protectively. She couldn't fight a smile, and she kissed his head. "You need to get back to sleep."

"Mm." He grunted.

"Otis." She warned.

"What're you gonna do, mama?" He smirked.

"Shove my fingers in one of those bullet holes if you get too rowdy with me."

"Ooohp. Okay. Point taken."

Adi left to get Cutter coffee, sitting it down on the end table between he and Baby.

"Thank you." He tried to smile angelically.

"Mm." She grunted in response, lying back down on the couch.

Her nap was interrupted by Cutter coughing. She bolted upright and hurried over to him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah...just...not feelin' too great." He groaned.

She glanced at Baby, who looked extremely worried. Otis looked sleepily bored at the situation.

"Here...lemme take your temperature..." She placed the thermometer in his mouth. "Shit...You've got a fever..." She felt his forehead. "You don't feel like it though..." She felt the crook of his neck, then his cheek. "No..." She was perplexed. "Just...rest a little and I'll take your temp in a bit again."

Cutter nodded. Adi was worried...What if he had a punctured lung or an infection had started?

She stood by Baby's bed. "How're you doin? You haven't said much."

Baby smiled. "I'm okay. Got the best doctor in the world takin' care of me, got a nice bed and I'm in my new home. Can't really complain."

Adi chuckled. "You just holler if you need anything."

"Nah. I can take care of myself."

Adi rolled her eyes. "Not you, too. I just got him broke of that shit."

"It's easier if you let her take care of you. Trust me." Otis smirked.

"You hush." Adi smiled back at him

Baby pouted. "I want a romance like you two...you're so cute."

Adi smiled. "Thanks, Vera."

"Mm. Yeh. I guess she's alright." Otis smirked.

Adi hurried to his bed and took his face in her hands, ghosting kisses all over his face.

"Stooooopp." He whined. "You're embarrassing me in front of my friends."

She giggled as he wrapped his arm around her waist again. "I like embarrassing you." She tapped his nose with her forefinger.

He scoffed. "I know."

Cutter groaned, and she left the warm confines of Otis's arm to check on him. She took his temperature again, and again it read that he had a fever.

"Shit, Cutter..."

"Please stay with me...I don't feel good..."

Adi sighed. "Okay..." She sat next to him, feeling him grasp her hand. "You're alright."

Otis glared from across the room. Adi glared back, mouthing 'be nice'. Otis didn't relent.

Cutter coughes and Adi ran a cool cloth over his forehead. "Just relax, okay?"

He nodded.

Adi took his temperature again after a few minutes. "What? You don't have a fever?"

Cutter started to chuckle.

"How did you do that?!"

"Put it in my coffee, sweetheart. Works every time."

"Ugh! You bastard!"

Cutter howled with laughter.

"You scared me, daddy!" Baby yelled.

"Sorry, honey. It was worth it."

"You fucker." Otis growled.

Adi returned to Otis's side, stroking his hair. "Calm down. Don't get all upset."

He grunted, snarling at Cutter. "Stop that. She's my girl."

"Yeah, yeah. I can have some fun." Cutter laughed.

"You boys play nice." Baby chided.

Oh, boy. This was going to be a long recovery period.


	3. Chapter 3

Adi continued to care for her Rejects, dealing with Cutter's limitless bullshit.

"Adi, come on, babygirl. Why don't you let me make you laugh?"

"You do. At your attempts to steal me from Otis."

"Aww, you need a real man. Why're you with his scrawny little ass?"

Adi smirked, she had dirt on Cutter. "You say that. But if I recall correctly, there was a time when that scrawny little ass was decent enough for you."

"Adi." Otis hissed warningly.

"What're you gettin' at?" Cutter glared. Baby seemed confused at the whole situation.

"You and Otis got drunk. You were desperate for some pussy, and thought hey, there's a warm body there. Might as well make do."

"ADI." Otis warned.

"Shhhh...I'm sorry, baby. But I'm trying to make a point."

Otis closed his eyes and leaned back against his pillow, knowing he wouldn't win an argument with her when she was riled up.

"So...He was good enough of a piece of ass for you to rape twice, but not for me to be with?"

"Daddy...She's lyin' isn't she? You didn't do that..."

"No, she's not." Otis spoke up.

"Daddy...After what you knew happened to him?"

"Yeah...I know...I know..."

Baby fell silent, mulling over the situation.

Adi leaned over and kissed Otis.

"Don't think I'm not fucking pissed at you."

"Why?"

"You just told Baby!"

"I said I was sorry, sweetie. Please forgive me?"

"Yeah, Cutter said he was sorry, too." He glared meaningfully at her.

"Otis."

"What."

"I literally saved your fucking life. Shut up."

"That was my secret."

"And now you don't have to hide anymore. The people who care about you most know, and understand. See? Feels better, doesn't it?"

"...I'm still pissed."

"You'll get over it."

"Uhm...Adi...?" Baby looked at her. "I'm glad you told me. Now I know why Otis and Daddy fight so much...And why Otis hates him so much...I'm not mad at either one of you...I just really don't like that it happened."

Otis glared at Cutter.

"But...ah...Adi...? Could you help me up to the bathroom? I need a shower."

"Sure. Just be careful about those wounds. And I'll have to wrap them up when you come down again, okay?"

Baby nodded as Adoria helped her out of the bed and slowly up the stairs.

"I fucking hate you."

"Wow! Breaking News!"

"Stop fucking acting like you'll ever get her."

"Why? I just might."

"God damn you, why can't you just let me be happy? I'm finally happy with her...I worked so fucking hard to get her. You have no idea."

"I do. That's why it'll be even better when I take her from you." Cutter smiled evilly as Adi came back down the stairs.

She kissed Otis's head, stroking his hair. "I'm gonna get you two somethin' to eat, okay?"

"Yeah...Thanks, mama." He kissed her.

She walked into the kitchen, out of ear shot.

"The fuck do you mean, when you take her from me?"

"I'm gonna take her away from you, boy! I'm gonna sweep her off her feet like the prince fuckin' charming I am. And you know what? I'm gonna fuck her like a real man. A REAL fuckin' man, you hear me, you pissy pussy willow piece of shit? And she's gonna scream my name. Oohhh, she's gonna moan and groan like she never has before. Ohhh it's gonna sound so sweet. And she's gonna be all mine then. I'm gonna take her from behind like I took you, you weak fuck! I'll make her my bitch just like I made you mine, only she's not gonna run away cryin' like a little pussy like you did. She's gonna just want to keep comin' back for more and more." He licked his lips. "Ooh, I bet she's got a tight little ass..."

Otis glared, his vision going blank from rage. There was nothing he could do right now, but be forced to sit and listen to the older man's threats against the love of his life.

"Just you wait, old man. Just you fuckin' wait."

"Bring it on, whitey."

Adoria entered the living room again, with a plate for each of them. She sat and ate hers, too, carefully watching Otis to make sure he actually ate his.

"As soon as Baby gets out of the shower, I'm taking you up, Otis."

"Heyy, what about me? Don't I get special treatment?" Cutter smirked. "You could shower me, pretty mama."

"Ah, no. I'll help you up, but I'm not helping you shower."

She heard the water turn off and went up the stairs to help Baby down and back into her bed, redressing her wounds.

She helped Otis to stand, smiling up at him. "I forgot how much taller you are than me."

He kissed her head. "A decent bit." He wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her hair. God he loved her.

"Come on, baby." She helped him up the stairs, biting her lip girlishly as she looked at him.

"What?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. A little stiff and sore. Why? Got somethin' in mind?" He smirked.

"Yeah. I just might." She let her hands wander up his shirt, pulling it off over his head. She kissed his chest, smiling up at him again.

He stepped out of the pajama pants and boxers she had evidently put him in, and she was on him. She fisted the hair at the back of his head as she kissed him, letting her other hand wander his body. She all but shoved him in the shower, turning on the hot water. God, she had missed him. It had only been a few days, but god, she had missed him.

She kissed his collarbone. "I'll let you actually shower first, then we can have some fun."

He grumbled, but showered, grimacing a little as the soap touched his wounds.

"You done?" She asked.

"Yeah...?" He rolled his eyes at her.

She pinned him to the shower wall, kissing him hungrily. She heard him moan in protest.

"Adi...careful...Those still hurt."

"Sorry, sorry." She kissed his neck, listening him moan in pleasure this time.

"Oh, god yes..." He let a small smile grace his face.

She stumbled out of the shower with him and led him to a bedroom she had set up for them, throwing him on the bed. He cried out in pain.

"Ooh! Sorry!"

"Worth it...Definitely worth it." He managed to choke.

She giggled, climbing on top of him. They made love for the first time in their new home.

When they were finished, she rolled over beside him. He was utterly exhausted- he wasn't entirely recovered yet. Normally it wouldn't have phased him.

"Come on. Let's get you dressed and back downstairs."

Otis groaned. "Is this our bedroom?"

"Yeah..."

"You bought a fucking house, Adi..."

"Happy anniversary!" She smiled innocently.

He shook his head, rolling his eyes.

"It was just gonna be for us, but...Your house kind of blew up."

"Yeah. I know."

"So...It's not just us right now."

"Unfortunately, no."

"But someday." She kissed him. She helped him get dressed and helped him back down the stairs and into bed, redressing his wounds as well.

She wasn't as kind helping Cutter up and down the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

Adi eventually had to go back to work, but luckily, their wounds were reduced to sore spots by the time she had to.

They settled into the new house quickly, considering Adi had snuck clothing and resources over to the new home so it was basically ready to move into by the time she told Otis about it.

Baby was out on the town, searching for new clothes for all of them. That left Otis and Cutter alone at the house.

Otis could still hear Cutter's threats to take Adi away from him. It ate at him. He had worked so hard to keep her. He had let himself wide open to her. He couldn't let him take that incredible happiness he had built.

Otis snuck up behind Cutter while he was walking through a hallway, gagging him and taking him down to the floor.

"I told you, mother fucker. Just you wait until I got better. I warned you, didn't I? But you just kept on and on and on and on." Otis made quick work of tying his hands behind his back and his ankles together, then undoing the gag.

"The fuck are you gonna do?! You know Baby would kill you if you kill me or hurt me."

"Oh, Baby will never know. I won't hurt you. Not enough for anyone to notice, anyway."

"You fucker. What are you going to do?"

"Don't you remember, all those years ago?" Otis cocked his head. "That terrified boy, who just wanted a father figure to love and nurture him? You bought pizza and booze. We drank and drank. You were too drunk to care about the pain you were putting me through. Too drunk to care about the repercussions I would face. The fear, the pain...Do you know how long it took me to open up to Adi? I haven't trusted anyone since you. You were the first, and you were the last. But Adi...She's the best thing that's ever happened to me. And you want to take it away?" Otis shook his head. "I don't think so."

Cutter heard Otis's zipper, and felt him pulling his pants down.

"What the fuck!?"

"That's exactly what I asked myself, just as you did the same to me."

Otis almost felt sick as he thrust into him. Cutter screamed in pain, writhing on the ground.

"What? Does that hurt?" Otis thrust again. "Does that fucking hurt?!"

Cutter groaned, tears threatening to spill over his eyes.

"I know it does. God, it hurts so fucking bad." Otis started to build a rhythm. "But you didn't care. And neither do I."

Cutter could only sob and whimper. The pain was unbelievable. He just wanted to die.

"Did you have any idea the pain you put me through?" Otis didn't get an answer. "HEY!" He slapped the older man. "ANSWER ME!"

"No..."

"How bad does it hurt?" Otis smirked. Cutter glared over his shoulder at him. "HOW BAD DOES IT HURT?!"

"M...More th...than anything I've ever experienced..."

"And you were going to do this to Adi...You were going to do this to my babygirl!" Otis became rougher, pounding harder and faster.

Cutter screamed, writhing, trying to get away.

"Ohhh, no you don't, you fuckin' mongrel. You'll stay right here." Otis moaned suddenly, the sound seemingly coming from no where. He looked down at Cutter. "Aaaah. See? You like it, don't you? Don't you you fucker?"

"No...God, no."

"But see? You can't help it. You can't fucking stop it! Making me feel like I wanted it all these years! You bastard! NOW you see!"

"Please...please stop..."

"I begged, too. I begged you to stop. Especially when I started bleeding. God, I begged and begged. But you never stopped. You just kept pounding into me."

Tears spilled over Cutter's eyes.

"Get fucked by a real man. Hah! Guess who's the real man now, bitch!? You're MY fuckin' bitch, now! You're mine! Who's your daddy, mother fucker?!"

Spaulding groaned and ground his teeth, praying it would all be over soon. "Please.."

"Ooh, you little slut." Otis moaned. "You like it rough, don't you? Say yes I do."

Nothing.

"SAY IT!"

"Y...Yes I do.."

Otis laughed. "Mmm...Beg be for it."

"Wh...what?"

"Beg be to fuck you harder. Do it."

"NO."

"I said, BEG ME." Otis slapped Cutter again and again.

"F...fuck me...Fuck me harder..." Otis increased in speed. God, he hoped this would be over soon. "Please...f...fuck me...harder..."

Eventually, Otis finished, zipping them both up.

"Now you see what that pain is like. You miserable cock." Otis sliced the ropes Cutter had been tied with, and walked away.

Cutter felt like he was going to be sick. He had just gotten a taste of his own medicine, that was for sure. He knew Otis felt the way he had for so many years, but not to that extent. Threatening Adi with the kind of pain he had experienced pushed him over the edge, and he went absolutely nuts.

God, did Cutter regret ever pissing off that boy.

The pain. oh, god the pain. Otis hadn't exaggerated. He felt horrible. Like he had been used, abused and laid out on a sidewalk to dry. He guessed that was how Otis felt.

Cutter began to sob. He understood the pain now. He understood the heartache. He understood the shame.


	5. Chapter 5

Cutter lay in the hallway a bit, groaning. God, he hurt. He had never expected that kind of pain.

"Oh, for fuck's sake get up. I got right up and ran the fuck away from you. You're a pussy." Otis kicked him as he walked by.

Cutter grabbed his foot and took him down, Otis landing hard on the floor. The younger man drew his foot back and kicked Cutter in the face, making him let go.

"Don't forget where I came from, what I survived." Otis warned. "I know how to fight for my life. Do you?"

Cutter groaned and let his head fall back to the floor.

"Nothin' but a fuckin' pussy." Otis mumbled, walking away.

Cutter picked himself up off of the floor, head spinning from Otis's kick. He shook his head, leaning on the wall for support.

He stalked after the younger man, spinning him around and pinning him to a wall in the kitchen.

"You miserable mother fucker-" Cutter began.

Otis threw him off and pinned him to the opposite wall, choking him. This was new- Otis had always cowered when Cutter pinned him or was aggressive with him, especially after he had assaulted the younger man. But this was completely different. He was pissed, and he was fighting.

"I fucking swear to God, I'll do it again." Those blue eyes could be so frightening when he was angry. "As a matter of fact, you did it to me twice. Wanna have another go?" Otis smirked evilly.

Cutter shook his head emphatically.

"What makes you think I'll listen to you? Did you listen to me when I was begging you not to do what you did? What my father did to me every day from the time I was six? Did you fuckin' listen?!"

"Fuck...you..." Cutter spat, gasping for air as Otis's hold around his throat tightened.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Fuck...You."

"Ohhh. That's what I thought." Otis threw Cutter down to the ground and sat on top of him.

"No! NO god no no no no!" Cutter flailed desperately trying to get Otis off.

Otis drew his knife, holding it against the back of Cutter's head. "Move. Go ahead." Otis paused a moment. "Maybe I should shove this knife up your ass instead?"

Cutter began to shake. God, he had forgotten how terrifying Otis could be. It had never been directed at him before.

"That's what it feels like, doesn't it? A knife." Otis placed the knife at the back of Cutter's head again, unzipping his pants.

"Please...God, I'm fuckin' sorry. That shit was all a joke just to get you riled up...I didn't mean it..."

"Well, you got me riled up."

It happened all over again. Cutter screamed and tried to get away as desperately as he could with a knife to the back of his head. Otis abused him, blood pouring out from the older man.

"I fucking begged you to stop! I fucking begged and begged! You fuckin' bastard. You get off all high and mightly talkin' about my woman like you do, orderin' her around like she's your fuckin' slave. Get off on this, bitch!"

Cutter moaned, clawing at the floor.

"Yeahh, there you go again. See? Just like me." Otis grinned. "Don't you want it? You want it don't you, you little fuckin' slut." He mocked, those words Cutter had said to him years before.

Cutter began to sob. The pain was unbearable, Otis was right. God everything he said was right. He hadn't exaggerated one bit. If anything, he had understated.

"See? You want it. The evidence is all right there, little boy. _Whitey."_ Otis continued to mock.

Cutter could only shake underneath him.

When Otis had finished, he stood, cleaning them both up again before walking away. He dealt one final kick to Cutter's gut. "Eye for an eye, asshole."

Cutter was a sniveling, sobbing mess. Shame crashed over him in waves. Shame and regret for what he had done to Otis in the past. He wasn't sure if it was regret for actually doing it, or regret for the revenge the younger man had exacted upon him, but it was crushing.

Cutter had just begun to stand when Otis walked by again. Otis reached out to touch him, and Cutter flinched back.

Otis laughed outright. "Yes! See? It fucking _sucks!_ Fear over someone you know you shouldn't fear, but look what they just fuckin' did to you. Look at you! You're no fuckin' different from me! All that time you told me I was fuckin' weak, look at you now!"

Cutter just staggered away as Otis laughed. He made it up to the bedroom Adi had given him, curling up in bed and shaking.

Otis retched and retched. God, he couldn't believe he had done that. It felt good to have revenge, but he felt disgusting, still. He shuddered, rising from the toilet, cleaning himself up and going on with his day.

In his house, _his_ house. Not the Firefly household, Otis always kept the doors locked.

When Adi came home, she knocked on the door. Her heart bounced in her chest. She couldn't wait to see that man standing on the other side of the door.

The door clicked unlocked and opened. And there he was.

Her eyes lit up and she grabbed him, pulling him into a hug. "I missed you..."

He chuckled. "You've only been gone hours, not days."

"Yeah, but that's enough." She nuzzled into his chest.

He pulled away slightly, tipping her head up by her chin to kiss her. She rested a hand on the back of his neck, stroking the flesh lightly with her thumb.

"Welcome home, mama." He kissed her forehead.

God, she almost started crying. It was so perfect.

She stroked his face, smiling slightly. "You trimmed your beard."

"Yeah, a little."

Her smile faded. "Did you fucking leave hair all over the sink?"

He laughed, drawing her close again. "No, baby. I didn't."

Sighing contentedly, she nuzzled into his chest again. Home. She was home. With her sweet, sweet man.

"Ahhh...listen, Adi...There's something I need to tell you."

Oh, fuck.

She looked up at him, eyes fearful.

"I...It's not anything with me...well...it kind of is...I did something...kind of terrible today..."

"Otis, spit it out."

She wasn't prepared for what he told her.


	6. Chapter 6

"What?! Why are you checking on him?!"

"Because, Otis."

"No one fuckin' checked on me! No one cared!"

"That's because no one knew, Otis."

He hated it when she said his name like that. It meant she was being curt and frank with him, and it made him feel like he was being disciplined.

"Are you mad at me?"

"N-" She sighed. "I'm not mad. I'm not pleased, either. You're right, that's a terrible thing...Why am I having this conversation with you? Of course you know it's not the right thing to do...But...I can't...really hold it against you..."

"No, but you know what you can hold against me?" Otis pulled her close, kissing her and letting his hands wander her body.

She pulled away. "As tempting as that is, I'm going to check on Cutter."

"Mama!"

"Otis...hold that thought."

Smirking, Adi ventured in to Cutter's room.

She grimaced as the smell of vomit hit her light a freight train. There was nothing to clean up, though. He had had the courtesy to use a trashcan.

She sat down on the bed beside him. He jolted, looking up at her in fear.

"Otis told me."

Cutter sobbed. "Fuckin' bastard..."

"How can you sit there and say that when you did the same thing to him?"

Cutter looked at her, shocked.

"You hurt him so much, doing the same goddamn thing, and you expect me to sit here and have sympathy for you? You hurt my baby. My sweet, sweet man sitting over there. I love him to pieces, and you expect me to have sympathy for you for him doing the same thing you did to him?" She shook her head. "I came to make sure you were okay enough; I know how rough he can be. But I honestly don't give a fuck about what he did."

"You're a fucking bitch!"

"You know, he suffered through this alone. For _years._ He had no one to support him through these emotions you're having. I bet I can guess them: Fear, anger, shame, and guilt. Did I hit the nail on the head? Good, because that's what you made him feel. It'll be quick for you, you've only gone through it this one time. But 13 years of it, then all followed and capped off by you, the first person he trusted again? Fuck you, Cutter. Do you know how long it took him to fully open up to me? How long it took him to trust me because of you? Two years. Two fuckin' years until he completely trusted me. Because you burned him so badly. He just wanted to open up to someone, and he trusted you. And you used it against him. That's why it took him so long. God...I can't imagine who he would be if you hadn't hurt him like that. He might not have half the issues he has. I wouldn't change him for the world, but God I wish he didn't suffer."

Cutter only glared, trembling and sobbing.

Adi smirked evilly. "He told me you came like a little bitch when he fucked you."

Cutter sobbed loudly, turning away from her.

"Both times. And he made fun of you for it, just like you did him. That's okay. I understand. He's good. He's a real man. How does it feel to be fucked by a real man, Cutter? Because you would know, now, wouldn't you?" She exited, slamming the door. She peaked her head back in. "Oh, and one more thing. You better get your shit straightened out before Baby comes home." She left once more.

Otis sat on their bed when she walked back in, arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh for God's sake, are you really pouting?"

"I'm not _pouting._ I'm pissed."

"Why? Because I went to check on him?"

"Yes!"

"Otis..."

"No one checked on me. No one cared...I know no one knew, but...I don't know...I'm just...fuckin' pissed you cared enough to check on him."

Adi sat down beside him, pushing his hair to one side and nuzzling into his neck. He couldn't help the reaction he had to her: relaxing his shoulders and giving her better access. "Don't be mad, Otis...I'm a doctor. Of course I care..."

His brain was starting to scramble as her hot breath ghosted his neck. "Mm..."

She kissed his neck lightly, sucking the flesh between her lips. "You still mad?"

He whimpered in pleasure, unfolding his arms. "Y...yeah..."

"Ohh, baby." She continued to kiss his neck. "You gonna fuck me like Cutter? Get all your frustrations out?"

Otis grimaced. "Don't...don't say shit like that."

"Okay. Sorry..." She heard another whimper of pleasure from him. "Still mad?"

"Y...hnn...yes..."

She pushed him to the bed, spinning him so he lay down, her on top of him. She kissed him, grinding against his hips. He fisted her shirt. She worked her way down his neck to his chest. He moaned outright, tilting his head back.

"How about now, still mad at me?" She smirked.

"No...No god no..." He was breathless already. He still wasn't fully recovered, and she really knew how to get him going.

"Good. I love you." She kissed him once more.

"I love you too..." He pulled her up, kissing her neck. She jerked. Her neck was just as sensitive as his, and she loved how his beard felt against her flesh. It got her every. single. time.

"Otis...damn you..."

He let her pull away from him to look at his face.

"Damn you for being so fucking sexy..." She pushed his hair away from his face, raking it away from the crown of his head.

"What're you gonna do about it?"

"You know what I'm gonna do about it. But I want you to lead this time." She smirked.

She squealed, giggling as he flipped her over, kissing her neck and pulling at her clothes. She hoped they would always have this much fun together.


	7. Chapter 7

Cutter tried to cope, but seeing that shit grin on Otis's face made it come flooding back again and again.

He finally understood why Otis had stopped coming into the shop for some time. Why he glared and growled every time his name was mentioned, why he was so pissed. He was fighting his own shame. He was fighting his own demons and the voices in his head, taking it out on those around him.

He tried to act like he was fine and nothing had happened in front of Baby. He could never let her know. But in front of Adi? He let his defenses down. He knew she had dealt with Otis like this. And her sweet, sweet man, as she had called him, had done this. So he didn't rightly give a fuck.

The nightmares started for him. He jolted awake, screaming trying to fend off the man attacking him. He broke everything he could that night, but being in Adi and Otis's house, he couldn't break very much, so he settled for beating the shit out of his mattress and pillows.

Otis slept soundly for the first time in his life. Adi was happy that he had gotten closure, she just wished he hadn't done it quite that way. She felt sympathy for Cutter. Even though she had hurt her Otis so much, she wouldn't wish what he was going through on anyone, not even someone who had put her baby through so much of the same.

She wasn't sure if Otis got jealous when she went over to check on Cutter or if he was genuinely pissed, but he was always a bear with a sore ass when she came back.

"You stop that." She scolded. "You got your vengeance. Be a grown up."

"What?!" He sat up in bed, almost throwing her off.

"You heard me. He's hurting. Like you were."

"You're fucking kidding me, right? That mother fucker tortured me for months and you want to scold me because I took it out on him? Because I got my justice?"

"Otis...Calm down. I'm sorry...I just...I'm a doctor...You know I care for people, even if they don't deserve it. You know that. It's just the way I am."

"Yeah. Your heart is bigger than your brain sometimes." He rolled his eyes. "But I guess that's what makes you a good doctor...It just pisses me off. I always wanted someone to run to comfort me. I never had that."

"Because you wouldn't let them."

"Because it scared me to let someone that close."

"You did with me."

"Yeah. It took a good long while, too."

"Yeah..." She sighed, pushing him back down to the bed. "Just go back to sleep, baby."

"Mm...Yeah, okay." He held her close, soothed by the sounds of her heartbeat.

Cutter tried turning to alcohol to block out the memories. He was drunk days in a row. Nothing was helping. Otis just sat and mocked him.

Finally, he turned to heavier alcohol rather than beer. Whiskey seemed to get him drunkest the quickest. He and Otis passed a bottle back and forth, trying to show brotherhood to Baby, who was oblivious.

He ended up hugging the toilet that night, retching uncontrollably. When Adi came home, she was at his side, trying to help him through the pain of vomiting straight whiskey.

Otis sat on the edge of the tub, bottle of beer in hand, laughing. "Been there, done that asshole. It doesn't work. All that happens when you get drunk is the memories fog, then get stronger. You think I haven't tried everything in the book to shy away from the thoughts that come with this?"

"Otis, shut up." Adi sighed. "It's alright, Cutter. You're alright..."

"God, it burns..." He mumbled.

"I know.."

"And you know what? The drunker you get, the scareder you get." Adi could tell Otis had been drinking, too. She smelled it on him, and he wasn't speaking as well as he usually was. "Doesn't fuckin' work. Been there, done that." He took a sip of his beer, leaning against the shower wall, completely amused at the pain Cutter was in.

"Fuck..." Cutter groaned, letting himself fall on the cool tile floor. His insides hurt. His throat hurt. His stomach hurt from the swift kick Otis had dealt, and the pain of it was only exacerbated by being sick.

"Just relax here...You'll be alright."

"Yeah, You'll be alright." Otis muttered. "But nothing will ever get rid of those thoughts."

"Otis, shut the fuck up. You're not helping."

"You'll try everything. You'll try showers so hot you think your skin is going to fucking burn off, and you'll wish it would. You'll try scrubbing it so hard it turns red. You'll try drinking until you can't feel anything, but it won't work, either. You'll never get those thoughts to stop. You'll never get those hands off of you. You-"

"OTIS. _STOP."_ Adi yelled. "Shut the _fuck_ up! That's ENOUGH!"

Otis shrunk back, falling into the bathtub, legs flailing.

"You're fucking drunk, and I know you're not talking about him anymore, you're talking about yourself. But you're not fucking helping. So either shut the fuck up and help me get him up or get the fuck out, because I have him to deal with. I can deal with you later if you're not going to grow a pair and fucking help me."

He stood, struggling out of the shower, and helped her get Cutter to his bed.

"Thank you."

"Are...are you mad at me?" He said, big blue eyes full of sadness.

"No, baby." She stroked his face and kissed him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just frustrated. I didn't mean to scare you."

"You...You hate me don't you? Oh god...you fuckin' hate me."

"Otis...No, stop it." She hated it when he drank whiskey. She said one wrong thing to him and she automatically hated him and he was the most useless piece of shit in the world. "I don't hate you. Quite the contrary. I love you more than anything. I just got frustrated, baby. I'm sorry"

"I'm sorry...I'm really sorry. Please still love me?"

"Of course I still love you, silly man." She kissed him again. He hugged her, stumbling slightly. "Come on. Why don't you lay down before you fall down? I can't pick you up, baby."

"Okay." He let himself be led to the bedroom and collapsed in their bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Adi heard the ear-piercing scream in the middle of the night. Alarmed, she looked over at Otis, who was sound asleep beside her. Well, not entirely beside her, She was curled up to him as much as he was to her, his face burrowed in her neck, his arms around her.

It wasn't him. It was Cutter.

Sighing, she gently moved Otis off of her, trying her best not to wake him. He stirred, but adjusted himself and fall back asleep almost instantly.

She hurried to Cutter's room, throwing open the door.

He let out a startled yelp, expecting to see Otis standing in the doorway.

"Oh...It's you..."

"Yeah, just me." She went over to him and sat down beside him, stroking his back. "You okay?"

Cutter shook his head. "No." He stated, frankly. "That fucker's got me good..."

"Hey, that's my baby you're talkin' about."

"Yeah, well your _baby_ got what he fuckin' wanted, didn't he?" Cutter sighed. "He was right. I...I've fuckin' tried everything. I...I shower until my skin turns red and I scour my skin until I think it's going to fall off. I...Drinking definitely doesn't help...It just makes it worse...He was right...I...Drugs don't work...Nothing does..."

She awkwardly wrapped an arm around the older man's shoulders and gave him a sideways hug of sorts. "Well...Now you know exactly how he felt...But consider...He had 13 years of abuse, 7 years of assault every day like you had, and then you on top of it after he thought the dust had settled. Can you imagine _him_ trying to feel clean? Can you imagine his pain?"

"Yes, goddammit! I fucking get it, okay?! I fucking get how much worse off he had than me, but I'm still dealing with this!" He scowled. "Your _sweet, sweet man_ fucking raped me, okay!? He fucking did this!"

"Okay, okay...Calm down. I'm here to talk."

Cutter sighed. "I...I just...keep dreaming about it...How much it hurt...How...How humiliating it was...He...He tied me up with I don't even know what, just like I did him, I guess. He remembers more about that than I do. But he tied me up and said..." Cutter gulped, looking at her. He didn't want to tell her what he had said he would do to her. He wanted to make Otis look as bad as possible. "About how he was getting the revenge he deserved...And he pulled my pants down and I heard his zipper...and...God, it hurt so fucking bad...and he mocked me the whole time...He..." Tears rolled down his face. "He made me fucking beg for it..." He shuddered. "Made me beg him to fuck me harder...He got rougher...I didn't know he could get that rough...I had no idea how bad it was...I...and the fucking worst was that I came...I came like I wanted it and he mocked me for it. He called me a slut and told me I wanted it. I had to have, because the evidence was right there."

Adi was torn. She wanted to feel sympathy for Cutter. He had been through something terrible. But at the same time, she knew he had put Otis through the exact same thing.

"I was bleeding so much...God, I was bleeding...And it hurt and I begged him to stop and he just kept going and going...I tried to get away...I screamed and begged. And when he was done he just stood up and left like nothing happened. I couldn't stand...the pain was too bad...I just laid there and wept...I didn't know what to do. He came by and mocked me and mocked me..." He glanced at her, gauging her reaction. "I...I finally got up and I was so pissed...He had fucking humiliated me. Fucking...And then he did it all again. He threw me down in the kitchen and he had a knife...He said he was going to use it...He didn't, but he might as well have...I think he was rougher that time...Or it just hurt more because of the blood and the pain already...But my god...It was fucking horrible...He just mocked me and rode me like a fucking horse, mocking and abusing me..." He sobbed. "And I fucking came again like I wanted it! I was bleeding and it hurt so much but I...I don't understand! It hurt so much. So. much. And then he got up and kicked me and walked away..." He turned to Adi. "He could do the same to you. He could abuse you like that!"

She knew what Cutter was trying to pull. Yeah, it probably felt good to talk about it and provided some sort of release, but she also knew he was trying to pull her away from Otis.

"You left out the part where you told him how you were going to fuck me like you fucked him so many years ago. And make me your little bitch and fuck me like a real man." She quirked an eyebrow.

Cutter's face went white. "I wouldn't have actually...It was just shit-talk, that's all."

Adi sighed. "Look, I'm sorry it happened to you. I don't like that he did it to you. I don't support him in doing it. I know he got some closure over it, but I really, really wish he had done it in a different way. I wish you hadn't done it to him, too. But you both did. And this is where it got you."

Cutter burst into sobs, shaking. She sighed, stroking his back, pulling him against her in an awkward hug.

When he had calmed and she got him tucked back into bed, she started back to her bedroom. She was furious with Otis. She was going to wake his ass up and make him deal with-

He was curled up to her pillow, clutching it for dear life, muttering in his sleep. As she got closer, she heard what he was saying.

"I love you...don't be mad at me...don't hate me...shouldn't have...done it...regret it...Mm...Love you, Adi...Love you so much...don't be mad...mad means hit...Don't hit me...Love you..."

God damn him. She couldn't stay mad at him. She knew he had suffered for so long, she just really, really wished he hadn't done what he had.

She curled up to him, gathering him in her arms. He opened his eyes briefly, wrapping his arms around her and cuddling into her.

She could make him deal with his own shit in the morning.


	9. Chapter 9

Adi heard Cutter moaning and screaming in his sleep, and walked over to his room.

She soothed him, dabbing a damp wash cloth on his face and trying to help him fight through the terrors. His eyes flew open eventually, startling her.

"H...hey..." He sighed. "Dammit, this sucks."

"Yeah, I know..."

"I...Is this what he goes through?" Cutter's eyes wandered to the door. She knew he meant Otis.

She nodded. "Yeah...All the time."

"Jesus...Will this ever stop?"

Adi shrugged. "For him it hasn't. It's not usually you, though. It's usually his parents. Hopefully, since it wasn't such a long interaction, your dreams will fade away..."

"Yeah...I hope."

Adi turned to leave, but Cutter grabbed her hand.

"Please...Please don't go. I...I know you want to get back to him, but please..."

Adi nodded. "Okay. I'll stay." She sat back down on the bed, stroking Cutter's arm as he drifted back to sleep.

Otis awoke, noticing the absence of Adoria's warmth. "Baby...?" He called into the dark. He waited a moment. She often woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. She didn't return, however. He stood, wandering down the hallway. He knew where she probably was.

He threw the door open and there she sat, on Cutter's bed.

"What the fuck." He hissed.

"He had a nightmare, Otis. You're going to wake him up again."

She heard Otis growl deep in his throat. "Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

"No, I'm not."

He grabbed her arm and drug her outside of the room. As soon as he let her go, she drew back and slapped him hard across the face.

"M...mama?"

"Don't you EVER grab me like that again, asshole!"

"I...I..."

"I know you don't fucking like him, but he's going through the same hell you went through. The least you could do is try to understand!"

"Who understood when I was going through it?! Who was there for me then? No one! No one stayed the night with me! I suffered alone for YEARS!"

"Because you wouldn't let anyone in, Otis! That's YOUR fucking fault! God for-FUCKIN- bid you let anyone in to that stone cold heart of yours."

He fell silent. She wasn't wrong, but the words hurt. "You know why i didn't let anyone in..."

"Because you were afraid of being hurt again. I know. But you suffered alone and you didn't have to."

"Because HE hurt me! I trusted him and he burned me, so I was afraid."

"Yeah, well this is your fault too! You did this!"

"He did it to me!"

"Mommy, he started it!" She mocked.

Pain flashed across his eyes for an instant. Even in the dark, she recognized that look.

"Baby, look...I'm sorry, that was a low blow. But I'm caring for him. Not because I like him, but because he's family. Are you going to forbid me from that?" She crossed her arms, daring him.

"...NO..." He sighed. "I guess...that's just what you do...You're a doctor...you care for people..."

"Okay." She stroked his face, giving him a kiss. "I'm going back in there. You get back to bed."

"What?! You're going BACK?"

"Yes. You'll have to spend one night without me."

Grumbling, he went back to their bedroom.

When she came back in, Cutter clamored for her.

"Where were you?!" He gulped. "Listen...I...I know I've been a fucking bastard and I know I hurt your Otis...But...But I don't have anyone...I can't tell Baby...and...and you're all I have right now...I need you...I know I'm a bastard and I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you. I know I called you a bitch and said terrible things but please don't leave me to face this alone. I can't face tonight alone."

She chuckled, smoothing his brow. "Shhh...I'm not leaving. I'm right here. You don't have to be scared..."

He nodded as she sat in a chair beside his bed, stroking his arm until they both fell asleep.

When morning rolled around, she woke both of their happy asses up and carted them downstairs.

"Mama?! What the fuck?!" Otis protested as she fisted his hair and drug him down the stairs, depositing him on the couch. Cutter sat beside him, rubbing his arm where he had been drug by Adi."

"YOU two are going to apologize to each other!"

"What?! Fuck that!" Otis raged.

Cutter glanced at him. God, he had balls to stand up to her.

"You ARE. I'll be damned if you'll leave this couch before you do."

"Watch me." Otis stood. Adi immediately grabbed his groin.

"Still going somewhere?"

"Nope." He sat back down.

"Thank you."

They both knew that Adi had done more for them than they deserved. She had been there for both of them when they had needed it.

"He goes first! He's the reason it happened to him!"

"Mommy, he made me do it because he was mean!" She mocked again, rolling her eyes. God, that hurt Otis when she did that, though. But he was acting like a child. "Okay, fine. Cutter, go ahead."

He sighed. "Listen, Otis..."

Otis hung his head, listening. Adi snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Look him in the eyes." She said as he looked up at her. Otis obeyed, knowing better than to piss her off.

"Okay...I...I'm sorry I hurt you like that. I never should have done that to you. I regret it every day of my life, I honestly do. If there was something I could do to take it back, I would. I'm sorry. You deserve closure. I understand that. I'm so sorry you had to need closure. You don't deserve that."

"Otis."

"I'm sorry I exacted revenge on you. Twice...And I'm sorry that I hurt you so much, too...I'm sorry you're going through all that, too. I know exactly how that is and it really sucks...I'm sorry I did that to you."

"Now hug."

"Fuck you!" Otis spat.

"NOW."

The two men wrapped their arms around each other.

"Good. Now you're free to go."

Otis stood and walked away. Adi graced his arms with her fingertips and he pulled away. He was fucking pissed at her treating him like a child, but he knew what her answer would be: I'll stop treating you like one when you stop acting like one. In reality, it was fair. But it still stung.


	10. Chapter 10

She knew Otis was pissed. She had struck a nerve by mocking him about acting like a child.

She wandered out to the back yard where she heard a ruckus. Otis was currently beating the shit out of an old washing machine. At this point, she was just thankful it wasn't Cutter.

"MOTHER. FUCKER. FUCK...FUCKIN...RAAAA!" He kicked it onto its side. She had to marvel at the force it took for him to do that. He really was pissed.

"You know, that's not exactly helping your case that you're not being childish."

Otis whirled on his heels, and she took a step back. She knew Otis would never hurt her intentionally, but when he was as mad as he was, it could get messy.

"FUCK YOU!"

"Otis, calm down. I just mean-"

"YEAH I FUCKIN' KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN." He took a step toward her, she took a step back.

"Otis-"

"SHUT UP." His voice cracked. Was he about to cry? "GOD...DAMN IT, ADI!" He kicked the washing machine again.

"Hey, hey hey...Talk to me..."

"NO. I'M FUCKIN' DONE TALKIN', BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU FUCKIN' MOCK ME!"

"Otis..."

"I FUCKIN' TELL YOU EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING, WOMAN! THINGS I'VE NEVER TOLD ANYONE, AND YOU...YOU SIDE WITH THE ONE WHO DID IT!"

"No, No, baby, I-

"DON'T 'BABY' ME. FUCK YOU!" He panted, his throat becoming raw from screaming. "YOU...YOU FUCKIN' MOCK EVERYTHING I SAY AND YOU CALL ME A CHILD! I TOLD YOU EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME AND YOU JUST...YOU JUST THROW IT BACK IN MY FACE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!" He shook his head, drawing back "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN...I MEAN...RAAA!" He kicked the washing machine again and again, finally striking it in a hard enough spot for him to draw back in pain, crying out.

"Otis!" She rushed to him, wrapping her hand around his waist.

"DON'T FUCKIN' TOUCH ME." He jerked away. She grabbed him, wrapping one arm around his waist and the other around his shoulders, holding him to her. He tried to jerk away, to no avail.

"Calm down...calm down..."

"MOTHER FUCKER." He jerked, she tightened her grip.

"Shhhh..." He panted hard against her, and she could feel sweat pouring off of him. "Babe...Listen to me." She pulled away and took his face in her hands. "I'm not faulting you, okay? All I'm saying when I say that stuff is it wasn't the most mature thing. And you can't deny that you do act a little childish sometimes. But you weren't allowed to act out as a child...You weren't allowed to be a kid. So it makes sense you feel the need to act out that way now. It makes sense that you act out that way, because you weren't allowed to when you were at that proper stage in development."

"Stop...Stop FUCKING psychoanalyzing me!" He growled. "God damn...I just...want you to see me as me, not..."

"I do, baby. I do...I'm just saying I know where you're coming from..."

Still fuming, he turned to start away from her, but cried out in pain and ended up face in the dirt.

"You broke your foot, genius."

She helped him inside and got him taken care of, making him prop his foot up.

"Er...Hey, Adi?" Cutter's voice startled her as she sat next to Otis.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"You busy tonight?"

"Ahhhh..." She glanced at Otis, who just glared back. "No, why?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Otis's jaw drop.

"Think I could take you out to dinner? Kind of...thank you for all you've done for me?"

"You don't have to!"

"No, but I want to...You did a lot you didn't have to."

She smiled softly. "Okay. Just let me know when you're ready and I'll be, alright?"

Cutter nodded, starting back up the stairs.

"You gonna be okay till I come back?"

"Mm." He grunted.

"You not talking to me now?"

He rolled his eyes and looked at her, exasperated. "Seriously?"

"Ohh, stop." She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close, kissing his cheek. "I love you, baby. More than anything."

"Yeah. Love you too." He sounded down trodden, but she figured it best not to prod him anymore.

"Baby's here in case you need anything, Otis." She called as she ascended the stairs. He just held up a 'thumbs up', letting her know he heard her.

Cutter took her out to a relatively nice restaurant that evening. He had even bought her flowers.

"This is a bit excessive..." She muttered.

"No...Like I said you did a lot for me that you didn't have to. Saved my ass, and then helped me get over...Well...helped me through some of that shit with happy boy..."

She shrugged. "I'm a doctor. You're family. What kind of doctor would I be if I didn't take care of you?"

He shrugged. "I just appreciate it."

They talked and ate, enjoying the evening. When she came back, she put the flowers in a vase, giving Cutter a hug before he retreated to bed.

Otis was still on the couch, foot propped up on the coffee table.

"Hey, baby." She kissed his cheek. He was watching something or other on the television.

"Hey."

She smirked, straddling him. "Wanna fool around?"

"My foot hurts."

"I can ride you instead." She said seductively.

He shoved her off, rolling her onto the couch beside him. "Why don't you go ride Cutter's dick instead?"

"Otis..."

She saw him smile slightly, chuckling once. He held his arm out to her, beckoning to come to him again. She curled up to his side, snuggling into his chest.

"You still mad at me?" She asked.

"Yes."

She paused "...You still love me?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes."

"Okay. You'll get over it."

"Mm-hm."


	11. Chapter 11

Otis seemed to calm down as the days passed, and Cutter seemed to greatly appreciate Adoria's help.

Otis's foot wasn't broken, just badly bruised, so he limped heavily until it healed.

Adi sat peacefully reading while Otis was out working with Rufus. She was just enjoying herself, when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in." Expecting to see Otis, she smiled hugely. She felt a little remorse as her smile faded at the sight of Cutter, but she couldn't help it.

"Hey, kid...Can...Can we talk?"

"Sure. What's going on?" She sat up, patting the bed beside her for him to sit down on.

"Just...need to talk about stuff to get it off my chest. Feels better that way, y'know?"

"Yeah, if you could get Otis to understand that, that would be great.

He chuckled. "I was gonna say you'll never get through to him, but I wouldn't have ever thought you would have gotten as far as you have with him. You cracked him open like a goddamn peanut, and I still can't believe it."

She shrugged. "It took a long, long time for him to be as open with me as he is. He's got some serious trust issues."

"Yeah, because of me." He snorted.

"No, not just because of you. There's been other stuff that's contributed to it. You certainly didn't help, but it's not just you. He had a mountain of hurt before he met you, Cutter."

"Yeah. And I added to it."

"I'm...not going to sit here and tell you you didn't just to make you feel better, if that's what you're expecting."

"No, no. I know. You're always honest. That's one thing that's great about you."

She smirked. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Cutter."

He laughed. "Isn't the expression flattery will get you nowhere?"

"Yes." She sighed. "What did you want to talk about?"

Cutter's smile faded. "Y'know...I...I keep thinking...about what happened..."

"Yeah?"

"And...I...I can't help but feel it's my fault."

"Why is that?"

"Well...If I hadn't done what I did to Otis...Either time...And If I hadn't broken his trust, he wouldn't hate me so much...And if he didn't hate me so much, he wouldn't have done what he did. Hell, even if he did hate me, if I hadn't done that, he wouldn't have exacted revenge in that way, at least."

She sighed. "Y'know...Usually I'm able to sit here and emphatically state to victims that their trauma is not their fault. I do that with Otis a lot-"

"What?" Cutter seemed shocked.

She sighed. "Don't say anything to him. He struggles a lot with guilt and shame. That's why he flips out like he does. Anyway...Usually, I can say with great confidence it's not the victim's fault. But...Honestly Cutter...I...I don't think you're wrong."

He simply nodded.

"I'm not saying that you deserved it, though. I don't think Otis should have done that, by any means. I don't support what he did. But...It's also his fault. He didn't have to do that. So don't...don't shoulder the whole blame, okay? You don't deserve what happened." She awkwardly pulled him into a hug, patting him on the back.

Otis came back into the house and started up the stairs. He opened the door and found Adoria hugging Cutter.

"What the fuck?!"

"Otis, he just came in to talk."

"Get the fuck out of here!"

Cutter raised his hands in defense. "Whoa, calm down."

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down! I don't want you alone with her!"

Her eyes narrowed. "Otis, I think I can handle myself."

"I'm not saying...I...RRG! Get out!" He grabbed Cutter by the shirt and threw him out the door, slamming it behind him.

"Are you satisfied?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes. Yes I am. What the fuck are you doing, Adi?"

"He came in to talk to me. He has no one else, Otis."

"He has Baby!"

"You really want her to know what you did? She would fucking tear you limb from limb."

"No, but...Talk to her! Not you!"

"Otis, he wanted to talk about what happened, not to just talk."

"I don't care! You're my girl! He needs to back the fuck off!"

"What do you think is going to happen, Otis? I'm going to fall in love with Cutter and run away with him into the sunset?"

"...Maybe!"

She laughed. "No, Otis. I'm just helping him through his emotions. You could learn a thing or two from him."

His expression darkened. "What did you say?"

"I said. You could learn a few things from him."

"Fuck you!"

"At least he lets himself feel what he's going through, he doesn't just throw a temper tantrum like you do!"

"Yeah, well he was _allowed to be a kid_ , remember, Sherlock fucking Holmes?!"

"Sherlock wasn't a psychiatrist."

"WHAT THE FUCK EVER. He's more _adult_ than I am. He deals with things better because he could _be a kid at the appropriate time frame in development._ " He mocked her.

She crossed her arms and smirked at him. "Do you see me arguing with you? Do you want me to get you your teething ring, little boy? Do you want your blankie?"

She saw the pain cross his features for an instant, but it was quickly replaced with outright rage as he spun on his heels, slamming the door as he left. He knew she was right.

Later, she found him lying in their bed, staring at the ceiling. Night had fallen, and everyone was settling down.

She crawled into bed with him, stroking his chest. "Hey, handsome."

He just looked at her.

"Ohhh, why so grumpy?"

"Fuck you."

"That's what I'm trying to get you to do." She let her hands wander lower.

"Yeah, why don't you hop on Cutter's cock, you two are so buddy-buddy."

"Fine. I will." She stormed out. She heard Otis's feet hit the floor as she left.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!? I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM BEFORE YOU DO THAT, GODDAMMIT." There were no words for his fury as he grabbed her arm. She spun around to meet him face to face.

"NO, asshole, but if you want to be such a little boy, I can play that fucking game too!" She shook her head. "God damn, Otis, what has gotten into you lately?"

"Fuck you!"

She wrenched her arm away. "Yeah, that's what you always say when you don't have an answer or you don't want to tell me." A look of discovery crossed her face. "You're fucking jealous!"

His face reddened. "I am not!"

"Yes you are! You're jealous of Cutter!"

"Shut up!"

"You're fucking jealous because you used to be the only one to talk to me about these kinds of things. And now he is. You don't have the fucking corner on the market anymore. You're not the only one with a pity-me story anymore."

Otis flinched.

"No, no. Don't. That's not what I meant. I'm not diminishing what happened to you. But you're fucking jealous because you're not the only one who's in pain anymore."

"...No I'm not."

She laughed. "Yes you are! It's written all over your face! You're jealous because now I'm spending time with Cutter, too, and it's not you all the time. You're jealous because I'm helping someone else through their emotions, too. And you're jealous because he's better at admitting his feelings than you are!"

"Fuck you!"

"No, Otis. Stop. Stop it."

He felt small. He felt so fucking small in front of her, lecturing him, and he hated it. He began to panic internally. "You were going to fuck him!"

"No, I wasn't, Otis. I would never, ever cheat on you."

"So what, are you going to fucking leave me for him?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you. You can fucking sleep on the couch tonight if you're going to act like that."

So, Otis slept on the couch.

She came down early the next morning and woke him up with a cup of coffee in her hand. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hnn? Hey..." He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. She shoved the mug of coffee into his hands. "...Thanks."

She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. "Hey. Let's go fishing later today, yeah? Just you and me?"

He nodded. They ended up fishing until sundown, enjoying the day together, and watching the sun set in each other's arms.

"Guess ah...I guess you really do love me, huh? You're not interested in Cutter..."

"Oh god, really?...Of course I do, you stupid, silly man. Of course I'm not interested in Cutter. I would have never bought a house for us if I had any doubts about how madly in love I am with you."

"Still? After all these years?"

"Still."

"Oh, yeah. What about that house, hm? Hid that from me."

She sighed. "It was going to be our present for our four year anniversary. It was just supposed to be for us. But...Since the ranch burned down..."

He nodded. "We were gonna start out on our own together?"

"Yeah. If you wanted."

He nodded. "Guess ah...I guess you really, really do love me...and you'd never...leave me for anyone else."

"God no. Especially not Cutter."

He chuckled. God he loved her.


	12. Chapter 12

Adi listened to Cutter suffering every night, even after she had forced Otis to apologize. Otis was sometimes woken up, too, but instead of concern, he wore a devilish grin when he heard Cutter's screams. He was taking a great joy in the other man's suffering, and she hated it.

She was so excited to see her Otis that night when she came home. She had bought new lingerie, and wanted to try it out. Even though she knew he didn't pay much attention to whatever she was wearing, it still made her feel good.

She was waiting for him to come in from the garage, splayed out on their bed seductively.

When he did come in, he shut the door with his foot, wiping his hands off absentmindedly before he saw her. "Whoa..." He froze.

"Mmm...Hope you like what you see." She smirked, running a hand through her hair as she stood, sauntering over to him.

"Mama, I always like what I see." He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply.

"Well, come on, wildman. Let me see if I like what I see." She bit her lip, smirking. He kissed her again, pushing her toward the bed. She pulled his shirt off over his head and fiddled with his belt, finally unzipping his pants and letting him kick them off.

He topped her so she was lying down, kissing her neck. She wasn't quite as into it as he was, but she wasn't complaining. She loved the way his beard tickled against her skin, how his calloused hands ghosted their way across her body- so gentle, in comparison to the way he treated his victims.

Neither of them heard the door open.

"Mmm...lemme see you now, handsome." He helped her roll over so she was on top, kissing his neck and brushing his hair back with her fingers.

"A...ahh..." Otis fidgeted, raking his fingers down her spine. He opened his eyes for a minute, and she felt him freeze. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" He jerked her away, shoving her behind him and trying to cover her up with a blanket.

"Aahhhhh...I uhh...uhhhh..." Cutter stood in the doorway. "I came to talk to Adi...ahhh.."

"YEAH WELL SHE'S FUCKIN' BUSY!"

"Er...yeah...ah...I'll come back another time...Ah...You uh...I...Okay..."

"HOW LONG WERE YOU FUCKIN' STANDING THERE?!"

"Whoa, man...N...Not long...I just froze for a minute, I didn't know what to do."

"YEAH, RIGHT YOU WERE FUCKIN' WATCHING HER. YOU MISERABLE MOTHER FUCKER!" Otis leapt out of the bed, pulling his pants on and drew his knife.

"HOLY SHIT!" Cutter took off down the hallway, but Otis grabbed him.

"Otis! Stop!" Adoria begged.

Cutter tried desperately to get away from him, struggling against Otis's grip.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck not again not again not again Otis, god...Please man, please not again...fuck, man..."

Otis cocked his head for an instant.

"Please don't fuck me again, man...Come on...Please, please don't do it again..." Cutter began to tremble.

"W...what?"

"Otis, let GO of him!"

"Come on man, don't do this...Don't rape me again, please...please..."

Otis flinched at the word, releasing the older man.

Cutter froze for an instant, contemplating his options. He slowly backed out the door, shutting it behind him.

"Otis..."

"Go. Go talk to him."

She knew there was no venom behind his words, so she went to find Cutter.

Over the next few days, Otis noticed the changes in Cutter. He noticed how Cutter's body language changed when he walked into a room or when Cutter noticed his presence. He noticed how Cutter flinched every time he moved too quickly, or in his direction at all. He noticed Cutter shake whenever he raised his voice.

God, Otis hated it. It was like looking in a fucking mirror. How he had acted when he had first come to the Firefly family. He hated seeing those memories reflected back at him. He wasn't that scared kid anymore. He wouldn't accept that he ever was.

Adi had fallen asleep on the couch when she had come home from her shift. She had begun watching a TV show, and had fallen asleep. Otis was sound asleep upstairs in their bed.

Cutter woke up in terror that night. He hadn't screamed, but he was horrified. He wandered over to Adi and Otis's room. There was only one figure under the blanket. For some reason, he assumed it was Adi.

He shook the figure awake. "Hey..."

Otis recognized the hands on him. Those big, bear-paw hands with Love and Hate tattooed across the knuckles. He startled awake, panicking.

"What the fuck do you want, man?!" Otis sat upright, trying to back away from Cutter.

"Shit!" Cutter jumped away from him. Both men were trembling. Adi heard the ruckus and wandered up the stairs. When she found the situation, she almost laughed. But it was so tragic she couldn't make herself.

"Oh, god...guys..."

"Mama...Mama get him out of here..."

"I'm leavin'. I'm leavin'." Cutter stood and left their room.

She curled up to Otis and went to sleep.

The next morning, she woke Otis up with a cup of coffee in bed.

"I'm starting to associate you bringing me coffee with you yelling at me..." He looked at her with those big blue eyes. She kissed him lightly.

"I'll start doing it more often when I don't need to talk to you, then. But babe...You need to help Cutter."

"Mama-"

"No, listen. You did this. You made this mess. You need to help me clean it up."

"Technically, he made this mess."

"That coffee is hot. Do you want to wear it?"

"No..."

"Okay, then. Baby...Just talk to him. Talk to him about what got you through. Just...give him some words of wisdom, yeah? You can do that, right?"

Otis shrugged. "Do I really have a choice?"

"No." She kissed him lightly, grimacing. "You need to trim your moustache! You dipped it in your coffee and it's still got coffee in it! Gross!"

Otis laughed. "Anything else you need me to do, Master Mama?"

"No, dickhead." She kissed him again. "I love you."

"Love you too."

"I'm off today, so your conversation will be supervised."

Otis groaned.

He finished his coffee and went downstairs, where Adi was talking to Cutter. Otis sat down opposite him on the couch. Cutter looked nervous at the younger man's presence, beginning to tremble.

"Hey, hey...It's okay. We're just gonna have a talk. He's not gonna hurt you."

Otis glared at her. He hated this. He hated having to help the man that hurt him so much.

"Otis..." She warned.

"He sure as hell didn't help me. Why do I have to help him."

"Because we're a family, Otis, goddamn it. Did you forget that? Tiny, Rufus, Mother Firefly, do you think they all would want us fighting like this? You need to start acting like a family again. We were torn apart. If we can't help each other and be a family, then we might as well have surrendered to those cops. We need each other. We're all we have. It's time to start acting like adults and start acting like a family again. Don't you remember how much you longed for a family when you were younger? Don't you remember how these people brought you in, Otis? Now that some of them are gone, it's time to continue that love. And it's going to start with you."

Otis simply stared back at her, the fire in his eyes gone. Oh, yes, he remembered how he had longed for a family that loved him. He remembered it all too well.

Sighing, he relented. "Okay...Okay..."

Adoria smiled at him. "Give him some tips for dealing with what he is. You've been through it. You survived."

Otis sighed. "Uhm...F...Find a creative outlet...I...I guess...Er...That's...that's my statues, for me...My artwork...uhm..." Otis looked down and away from them, wringing his hands. "I...I do to the people we get what I want to do to myself...S...So I don't do it to myself...I take my aggression out there...So I don't hurt myself...And...I relax that way, too...My artwork helps me take my mind off of things...Uhm...I...Sex helps a lot, honestly...It helps me realize I have control over my body. Only I have control over my body..."

Cutter nodded, listening.

Otis ventured a glance up at Adi. She was smiling sweetly at him. God, that smile. She was always so encouraging...

"What about the nightmares?" Cutter asked.

Otis shook his head. "There's nothing you can do about them. They come and go...Adi's helped a lot with them..."

"Uhm...W...What about feeling so ashamed...? And so...dirty...?"

Otis paused. "Ah...That...That fades, after a while...For me, it was after I realized I had control over my body...I...It'll come as the tears fade away..." Otis gulped. "When you feel like you're the most broken, that's when you realize how strong you are..."

Adi smiled. Well...At least she had gotten them to talk. "Good job, baby..."

"Thanks...That helps, Otis."

Otis nodded. He felt naked...But it had helped them mend as a family.


	13. Chapter 13

Otis had said sex helps, so Cutter decided to take his advice.

He went to a bar and picked up a woman, brought her back to the house. He paid her- after all, her love wasn't free, and kissed her, stripping her clothes off.

He knew Adi and Otis were snuggled up together next door. He would give anything to have a love like that again. Someone who loved him so fully and wholly. Eve had at one time...Now any hopes of getting her back were dashed; she was gone.

"Mmm...Come on, big papa. Show me what you've been keeping secret."

Oh, Jesus. These cheesy lines. He slowly stripped his clothes off, discarding them.

"Baby, ooh, Baby...You're so sexy..."

He let his hands wander her body, but flinched when she touched him.

 _Goddamn, Whitey..._ He grumbled internally.

"Oohh, did somebody hurt you?" The woman let her bottom lip jut out. "Lemme take the pain away." She bit his ear, pulling the flesh between her teeth.

Cutter couldn't help the groan that escaped his lips.

"Baby...Ooh, I love those sounds you're makin'."

"Mmm..." He smirked, tilting his head back.

More of those cheesy lines. More of her hands roaming his chest and stomach.

"You want me on top?"

"I get to see what I paid for that way." Cutter smirked.

Her smile faded. Women hated it when people reminded them they were prostitutes, but he always did it anyway.

She threw him onto the bed, and he couldn't help the yelp that passed his lips.

All he could see was Otis. All he could feel was the way he had grabbed him and thrown him down. He gulped heavily.

The woman seemed to ignore it, and crawled on top of him.

He tried desperately to push down the panic. He could feel Otis's hands on him. Could feel the bruises he had left in his wake. The pain he had left in his wake.

"Uhh...You okay?" She asked.

"Y...yeah...Yeah, I'm fine."

She rode him, listening to the sounds of his pleasure, and imitating the sounds of her own.

When he had finished, she dismounted him, starting away.

Yeah, sex had helped some, but not in the way Otis had made out it did.

"Maybe I'll see you again."

"Maybe. Wouldn't count on it. Have a nice night." She left.

He wandered over to Adi and Otis's room, clicking the door open quietly in case they were sleeping.

Otis kissed her hungrily, pulling her against his naked chest. He wasn't aggressive, though. His kisses were soft, but hot.

Cutter cleared his throat. "Uh...Sorry to interrupt."

Otis pulled away, glaring at Cutter. Cutter flinched back and Otis sighed, the fury draining from his face. "Rough night?"

"Haven't been to bed yet."

Otis raised an eyebrow. "What's the problem, then?"

"Sex didn't work."

Otis grimaced. "Is that what that noise was?"

Cutter sighed. "Yeah."

"A...Are you _doing_ it wrong?"

"Otis!" Adi slapped his chest.

"No, seriously. Is she okay?"

"Some people are more vocal than others, Otis. Be nice."

"You cum like a whale."

Adi's jaw dropped. "OTIS B. DRIFTWOOD!"

"What?!"

"If you don't stop, I will shave your beard in your sleep!"

Otis shrank away from her.

"Be nice."

"Not...Not to be crude...and I honestly don't really want to know, but...But were you on top?"

"No."

Otis raised an eyebrow again. "What?"

"Don't like it as well." He answered.

"Put that eyebrow down. You like it better when I'm on top, too. You fuckin' melt like butter."

Otis's face turned red. "Anyway. My point is...That that doesn't really help in the same way that...er...being on top does."

"What?"

"Being on top gives you your sense of control back. You are in control of your body. You are in control of that situation. It took me a long, long LONG time to be able to let even Adi on top of me. No one else has ever been on top with me before. No one. But it's a control thing. For me, anyway." Otis looked at Adi. "This is weird. This is very, very weird. I'm talking to Cutter about my sex life. And I can't shut up. Make me stop."

"No. You're helping him. And you're doing a good job." She stroked his beard.

"But...that's what I meant by sex helping. You having control over it again. Reminding yourself that you have control. But I guess your idea would help, too. Reminding yourself that not all sex is bad...Although...I've had some pretty bad sex when I wasn't being forced to have sex..."

Cutter snorted. "Is any sex bad sex? Er...when you're not...you know."

Otis's eyes widened. "Yes. Are you fucking kidding me? Yes. I'm not going into details with you, but some of it was very, very sloppy and bad and awkward."

"Wow. Coming from you, it must have been bad."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You would fuck just about anything with 2 legs."

"Well...Yeah. But that doesn't mean it was good."

Cutter laughed outright.

Otis smiled back. Maybe they would be a family again.

"Now, can you please leave so I can love on my girl?"

Cutter nodded, turning to walk out the door.

Otis kissed Adi again, groaning as her hands rubbed his chest and traveled up onto his collarbones.

"Please don't shave my beard in my sleep. I like it..."

She giggled. "no, sweetie. I won't. You did so well...I'm so, so proud of you...You did so well with him."

He shrugged. "I love you. I'd do anything for your sake."

"I love you too, sweetie."


	14. Chapter 14

Cutter tried again. Not a man to quit, he bought another girl the next night. He went to the same bar and lucked out, finding another whore.

He threw her to the bed and ripped her clothes off.

"Oooh. You like it rough, huh?"

"Shut up, bitch." Cutter spun her over onto her stomach and spanked her, hard enough to leave welts on her skin. The poor girl yelped with pain and surprise.

"U...Uhhh..."

"Get down on your knees."

"W...what?"

"Get down on your knees."

"Okay. Okay." She got down on her knees and took him into her mouth. He groaned loudly, bucking his hips with her motions.

Otis lay in bed beside Adi, nuzzling into her neck and making her giggle. He loved that sound. The sound of happiness that she brought him.

"Ohh, baby...You are so sweet." She kissed his cheek.

He jerked his head up, sitting upright. "What was that?!"

"Uhm...I think it was Cutter."

"Seriously?!"

She giggled. "Just ignore it, sweetie."

"Ignore it?! How?!" Otis gagged. "God, that's fucking disgusting! I'm getting this fucking mental image in my head I really, really didn't want!" Otis cringed "Aaaaahhhh..."

"Otis, stop." She couldn't help but laugh.

"Nnnnn...Fuckin' grooossss. Fuckin' groooosssss."

"Just Ignore it, I said."

"I can't! god, that image is right there. Cutter naked and bouncing all around." Otis shuddered. "Blech!"

"This can help, I bet." She kissed his neck, working down his chest. She heard his breath hitch in his throat.

Cutter moaned loudly as he came, fisting the girls hair and pulling her head to the side.

"Get on the bed." He muttered breathlessly. "Get on the bed now."

"O...Okay. Okay" She lay down on the bed, quivering slightly.

He kissed down her body, feeling her relax slightly. "Oooh, yeah. Yeah, Baby."

He sat up again, glaring down at her. "Shut the fuck. Up." He back handed the woman. She shrieked in pain.

"O...Oh my god..."

"I fuckin' said. Shut. Up." He growled. He pinned her to the bed by her throat, listening to her choke against his hand. "You know what? I have an idea."

He tied her hands and her feet to the four corners of his bed, smirking down at her. She was prone, completely naked and completely vulnerable. She was at his disposal. He had control. Total. Utter control.

He rode her, choking her intermittently when she got too annoying in her faked sounds of pleasure. "Yeahhh, that's right you fuckin' slut. You whore. Come on...Come on...You like this. scream bitch. Scream!"

She yelled, tears rolling down her face.

"Yeahhh...Come on. Spread those legs like you always fuckin' do. You're a slut. Nothin' but a dirty, dirty whore."

She was terrified, he knew. She thought she was going to die. She was sure she was going to die. Cutter was a large man, and he was very, very threatening right this second.

"Louder. Louder, bitch! Louder!"

The woman screamed against his hand, trying to just please him.

He came again, crying into the dark and tilting his head back in pleasure.

"OH my GOD!" Otis yelled. "Seriously?!"

Adoria giggled. "Baby...He's following your advice."

"Gaaaaahhh...Seriouslyyy..." He whined. "Why does he have to be so loud?"

"Sweetheart..." They heard him yell.

"Oh! There's the whale!" Otis imitated the sound, and Adi thought she would die laughing.

She crawled up to look over him, kissing him lightly. "Mmm...You don't sound anything like that."

"No. I know."

"Mm...God, you are so, so fucking sexy."

"Nahhh."

"Oh, god...Yes you are, Otis...Mm..." She nibbled down his chest. "I could just eat you up."

Otis moaned, stroking his hands up and down her back. "Mmmmn...Mama..."

"Yes, baby...Moan like that for me..."

"Nnn...Mama...That feels so, so good..."

They heard their door creak open, and Otis sat up, almost toppling Adi off of him.

"What the fuck?! Are you serious?!"

"You were right."

"Nice to hear. But you are the BIGGEST fucking cock block I have ever seen in my fucking LIFE!"

"Baby, calm down."

"You bitch hog!" Otis shouted, shattering a glass thrown against the wall next to Cutter's head.

Cutter simply laughed. "You were right. That did help."

"Again, I ask, are you sure you're fucking right? Because that girl was NOT into that at all."

"No, she wasn't. But damn, I was."

"You sound like a broken record." Otis grimaced. "Harder! Louder! Louder! Louder! Louder!" Otis grimaced. "Fucking gross. Keep it down."

"Fuck you."

"It's rude! Others are trying to get laid, here."

"Otis!" Adi swatted his chest.

Otis chuckled and kissed her.

"As much as I hate you. I wanted to thank you. Yeah, that did help. Thanks for the advice. Even though you made me need it."

"No problem, shit stain."


	15. Chapter 15

Cutter still had horrid nightmares of Otis. His hands all over him, beating him and assaulting him. He could see those piercing blue eyes behind him, feel the pain he had caused him. The horrible pain.

What was worse is that he was actually somehow turned on by it. He despised it. Absolutely despised it.

He needed something, anything to take it away. Anything. he was willing to try anything. He set out on the town that day, hunting anyone he knew that would be willing to help him in the way he wanted to try.

"Otis!" Adi whined.

"What, mama...?"

"Trim your mustache! It's fucking gross! It's curling into your mouth and whenever you drink anything it's still wet!"

He sighed. "Fine, fine."

"Your whole beard needs trimmed, actually."

"No it doesn't!"

"Babyyyyyy...Pleaaaase."

He sighed. "Okay. Okay." He left into their bathroom.

"I love you!" She called after him.

"Love you too, mama." He came out only a few minutes later, beard shorter and mustache trimmed to her satisfaction.

"Thank you, baby." She smiled sweetly.

"You're lucky I love you."

"If you had it your way you would look like ZZ top."

"Mm...No, not that bad."

She stood and kissed him, shoving her hand into his pocket.

"Baby...I think Cutter is still having a hard time..."

Otis sighed and rolled his eyes. "Mama-"

"Come on, Otis..."

"I'm still having a hard time too! It's been YEARS for me! I still have bad days!"

"I know...I know...But he's family."

"Yeah, so was I! In both cases!"

"Otis..."

He stood away from her, arms crossed.

"Okay. I'll drop it." She sighed. "Come back..." She pulled him against her again.

"Mm."

"Ohhhh come on. Don't be so sour with me."

He pulled away from her. "I left hair in the sink." He called, slamming their bedroom door.

"God damn you, Otis!"

Cutter got what he went into town for, tying his arm off with a tourniquet and flicking the needle. He plunged it into the vein and injected it, a chill running up his spine. He had never done heroine before. What if this was a bad batch? His buddy at the hardware store wouldn't do that to him. He had helped him get out of too much shit too many times to do that.

He knew he had about enough time to get home before the high really hit. He sped back to Otis and Adi's house, starting to stumble up the stairs, and flopped into bed.

Adi heard the commotion. Otis was in the garage, working on his car. She wandered into Cutter's room.

"Cutter? You okay?"

"Yeah...Yeah, I'm good."

"Hey...look here..." She took his face in her hands and turned him to face her. His pupils were dilating. "Cutter...Did you take something...?"

"Huh...?"

"Nevermind. What did you take?"

"Nothin'."

"Yeah, okay." She sighed. She would have to wait until he came down from his high to ask him.

When Otis came in from the garage, Adi met him at the foot of the stairs.

"Hey, beautiful." He kissed her.

"Otis...We have a problem."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Cutter is high."

"Yeah?"

"No...I mean like...really...really high."

Otis sighed. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Help me...I don't know..." She walked into Cutter's room again. He was sprawled on the bed again, drooling. Otis sat in the chair beside the bed.

Otis scoffed. "Drugs don't help. Nothin' does. The thoughts...The memories are always still there. You'll always feel powerless...You'll always feel weak. The drugs only make it worse. Make the memories stronger...Makes it more real." He stood, standing over Cutter.

"Otis."

"It makes it like I'm doing it again, doesn't it...?" He touched Cutter's arm. He flailed against him.

"NO! NO NOT AGAIN! NO!"

Otis smirked. "Yeah. It does. Makes it all too real."

"Otis!" Adi grabbed him and pulled him away. "You're supposed to be helping me!"

"Helpin' you what?"

"Take care of him."

"He doesn't need anything. He just needs to ride it out. That's all."

"You're being an asshole!"

"Mama-"

"No! I'm tired of this! Stop being such a fucking child! You got what you wanted! Stop! You know what? YOU take care of him!" She slammed the door, leaving.

Otis sighed and sat back down. Cutter flinched away from him. "Hey, man. Relax. I'm not gonna do it again...Tell you the truth, I really regret doing it at all. I...I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Even you...But here we are. I did it. You're suffering. I'm...I'm sorry. I'm gonna help you through it. I promise..."

Adi pressed her ear to the door, listening.

"I...I guess I can put away that hate...We're all we have left now...And you did take me in all those years ago..." Otis sighed.

He propped him up on his side so he wouldn't choke if he threw up, and sat with him through the high.

Once he came around, Cutter sat up, groaning.

"Cutter...It doesn't help. I'm telling you."

"Yeah...I know that, now...That...that was awful... I..."

"I know...It was too real..."

"Way, way too real."

Otis nodded. "You can't do that, man. You can't do that to yourself. It deteriorates your mind and it makes those memories stick longer because they're so much more powerful in a high. Trust me. You don't have any control and you can't stop it. Please...Please don't start doing that..I'm sorry...God, I really am. Not Adi making me say so, I am."

Cutter nodded. "Yeah...I...I'm sorry too...I've told you over the years, but I really mean it. I...I can't believe you survived this on your own."

Otis looked down and away. "We're all we have now. We'd better get along."

Cutter snorted. "Yeah."

Adi still listened form outside.

"Please don't get started on this. Please...It only makes it worse for you."

Cutter nodded.

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

Otis left, almost knocking down Adi on the way out.

"You care. You act like you don't but you do."

Otis flushed. "Him buying drugs draws attention to us."

"Yeah, right. You care."

"...Shut up."


	16. Chapter 16

Otis lay in bed, stroking Adi's arm absentmindedly. She sighed contentedly and curled into his chest more. She tilted her head back to kiss his jaw through his beard, letting the soft facial hair tickle her face.

"What're you thinking about?"

"Hm? Just...How lucky I am."

"Baby..."

"No, no. Listen...I...I never thought that I could have something like this. Happiness, love, affection. That wasn't for me. I wanted it. God, I wanted it so badly and so desperately. But I never thought I would get it. I thought that was something that other people had, but I never would. Then I came across the Firefly family. And they taught me what affection was for the first time. Can...Can I tell you something?" His blue eyes looked hesitantly back at her.

"Of course, baby. You can tell me anything. You know that."

He nodded. "I...was so, so afraid that I was going to have wasted my love on my parents. Trying to make them love me. Trying to love someone who would never love me back, but only met me with cold, hard hands. I was...so fucking pissed off at the world and so afraid of anyone who dared to get close to me, but I was so afraid that my love would only be given to someone with hands as cold as ice..."

Adi's eyes filled with tears. She imagined her Otis, her sweet, loving husband, cowering in a bed, his father brutalizing him as he sobbed into the bed sheets, begging him to stop. Long, dirty blonde hair and big blue eyes; quivering lips as tears rolled down his face.

"Baby, no, don't cry..." He rested his hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "S...So I...When I came to the Firefly family, and they all...They all just had so much love, I felt...I felt like maybe, just maybe I had wandered into the right place. Maybe I would feel that kind of love. And I did. I felt I had a family for the first time. But god, god when you came along..." He shook his head. "I wasn't ever expecting something like that. "

She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind his ear, smiling at him.

"I know I've told you a million times, but it never seems like enough. I'm so, so lucky I have you. I'm so, so lucky you stuck around through my bullshit. I was scared...and I'm sorry for how much of an ass I was in the beginning. I'm really, really sorry. I was just so, so fucking scared. I was terrified. But god, damn, I wanted it so, so bad. So long I wanted someone to love me like you do, to curl up to me in my arms and just love me. Yeah, sex is great and all, but...I can get that anywhere. You...You love me so wholly and fully and you just...God, Adi...There aren't even words."

"Otis...I...I love you so much, sweetie...I...I love you..."

He smiled. "I know."

"I almost lost my Otis..." She murmured, tracing the scars on his chest left by the staples Sheriff Wydell had jolted into him.

"Mm...that's another thing..." He sighed. "Adi...I can't believe you did that."

"Huh?"

"You saved all of us. I can't...I can't imagine how much work that must have been. How stressful and exhausting. And you...the way you took care of us the whole time was something else. God...You are just...the most amazing woman. I...We all literally owe you our lives. I...I don't want to imagine what could have happened if someone else got a hold of us. How did you find us? How did you get us back here? I...I can't...You are so amazing, woman. The skill you had to have, too. Deciding which one of us to work on first based on our injuries. You didn't even have half the equipment you would need. No x-rays or anything like that...But you saved us. You saved all of us...I...I don't know how you did it, babe. You...You must be even more amazing than I ever imagined. How...How did you keep all of us alive while you worked on the others? We were all hurt pretty bad...But god, woman, you are tireless...Absolutely tireless..."

She shrugged, blushing. "Ain't nothin but-"

"Nothin'." He finished with her, smirking down at her before kissing her forehead. His smiled gradually faded. "You know...all of them did their part except for me..."

"What?"

"Cutter...Cutter tried to prevent Baby from getting hurt...He...When Wydell was stapling those pictures to us? He...He took the brunt of it for Baby. He...He tried to get Wydell to focus on him and leave her alone. I...And here, I just kept my fuckin' mouth shut...I didn't do a damn thing...I just sat there, trying to save my own ass..."

"Babe-"

"I...I didn't want Baby to get hurt, either. That's my little sister. Aren't big brothers supposed to stick up for their little sisters? I...I didn't do anything..."

"Otis, shut the fuck up."

His eyes widened.

"You did what you had to do. Cutter was trying to take care of it. You were being abused more by Wydell- he had a pick at you for some reason. Probably because my baby is pretty cocky sometimes- but you were fighting your own battles. I can't imagine what it was like for you to be tied down after all the abuse you went through..."

"Mm...Yeah...I mean..."

"Otis, stop being so hard on yourself."

"But-"

"I said. Stop. Do you realize no one blames you for any of the shit you blame yourself for?"

He looked away from her.

"No, no. You need to understand that Baby would have gotten hurt no matter what either one of you did, and she's lucky that she had you two there to protect her. She could have been hurt much, much worse."

"Mmm..." He grumbled, pulling her against his chest again.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."


End file.
